Machine Gun Kelly at Revolution January 26

In 2012, melanin levels are no longer much of a factor when it comes to overground rap credibility.

On the one hand, you have the success of Yelawolf, plying a trunk-rattling Southern sound. On the other, you have the lighthearted, so-called frat rap of Mac Miller. And now entering the mainstream fray is Machine Gun Kelly, who falls somewhere in the middle.

The Cleveland native, who proudly sports a chest tattoo declaring himself "established in 1990" is just thin and cute enough for female appeal. His sound, though, is unapologetically hard and fast, again more Southern than Midwestern.

Kelly, known as MGK for short, specializes in spit-fire, nimble-tongued lines à la Busta and Twista. So far, those lines add up to the usual braggadocio and posturing. But he's barely drinking age, so perhaps Machine Gun's lyrical skills will develop over time.

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